A “nutrient credit” is a certified unit of improvement to the environment, measured in pounds of phosphorus, nitrogen, and sediment reduction. Each credit represents a specific amount of absorption of nutrients within a sub-watershed. Nutrient credits may be created when farmland is converted to forested land or by stream restoration work.
What is a Nutrient Credit Bank?
A nutrient credit bank generates credits (offsets) through approved practices that reduce nutrient pollution on the designated property. These credits are reviewed and approved by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) before they can be offered for sale. To generate credits, the bank must convert land from nutrient-generating activities such as conventional farming to less intensive uses, like tree farming, or implement restoration projects that reduce erosion and nutrient runoff, such as stream or shoreline restoration. Once the required land-use changes have been made and permanent legal restrictions are placed on future uses of the property, DEQ inspects the work, reviews the restrictions, and releases the credits for sale if all criteria have been met.